Why The Global Plastics Treaty Failed and What it Means for Nigeria

Each year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of new plastic. In the absence of significant policy reforms, this figure is projected to increase by nearly 70% by 2040, according to a 2024 OECD policy scenario report8. The proposed Global Plastic Treaty aims to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, covering production, consumption, waste management, and disposal. In addition, the treaty is expected to provide funding and technology transfer to support plastic waste management.

Formal negotiations on the treaty were led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which commenced in December 2022, with representatives from 175 countries participating. In addition, major financial institutions were expected to play a key role in promoting the development and implementation of the treaty within the global financial sector5. However, following the final round of talks (INC-5.2)7, held in August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, the Committee failed to reach a unified position. The breakdown of these negotiations has left the international community without a comprehensive, legally binding framework to effectively tackle the escalating plastic pollution crisis. A major impediment to progress was the INC’s reliance on consensus-based decision-making—a diplomatic mechanism that enables individual delegations to delay or obstruct collective outcomes. Attempts to reform this approach, including proposals for qualified majority voting in specific contexts, proved politically contentious and ultimately unsuccessful. Consequently, a small number of dissenting states were able to stall the entire negotiation process. This paper explores the main factors contributing to the negotiation deadlock and assesses the broader implications for Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest producers of plastic waste.

Environmental Impact Of Plastic Additives In Nigeria: An Emerging And Overlooked Contaminant Of Concern

Plastic products often contain additives such as plasticizers, stabilizers, flame retardants, pigments, PFAS-based coatings, and biocides, which are incorporated into polymer matrices to enhance their performance. Since most of these additives are not chemically bonded to the polymers, they can leach out, evaporate, or be released along with micro- and nanoplastics into the environment.

While global concern about this chemical aspect of plastic pollution is increasing, in Nigeria—where plastic waste management faces challenges like high waste production, limited formal recycling, open dumping, and frequent flooding—these additives remain a largely overlooked but potentially significant source of environmental contamination (Ebere et al., 2019; Faleti, 2022).

Waste Sorting: The Holy Grail of Plastic Recycling

Plastic waste has become an undeniable global crisis, presenting severe environmental and socio-economic challenges. Our modern lives are intricately woven with plastic, making it seemingly impossible to extricate ourselves from its pervasive presence. The production of virgin plastic continues to soar, with estimates suggesting a cumulative volume exceeding 25,000 million metric tons by 2050 if the current 8.4% growth rate persists.

Alarmingly, of all virgin plastic ever produced, only a minuscule 9% is recycled, while 12% is incinerated. The vast majority, a staggering 79%, accumulates in landfills or pollutes our natural environment3. While recycling is theoretically the most preferred method for plastic waste management, allowing for infinite reprocessing, this remains a distant ideal. Currently, only about 10% of all recycled plastic enters a second recycling cycle3. This stark reality implies a continuous influx of virgin plastic into the market, even with increased recycling efforts. The problem is exacerbated by the prevalence of single-use plastics, which are often discarded within a month or less, contributing significantly to environmental accumulation.

Understanding Plastic Credit as a Market-Based Scheme Incentive for Plastic Waste Management

KEY TAKEAWAYS Plastic credits transform waste management into a profitable venture by rewarding organizations that collect or recycle plastic waste and enabling producers to offset their footprints through credit purchases. Multiple globally recognized bodies (e.g., Verra’s Plastic Credit Standard, Plastic Bank, PCX, GPP) employ differing verification criteria, leading to a lack of a universally accepted standard.  Implementing plastic credit in Nigeria will bridge the financing gap and encourage plastic collection systems that were otherwise not

Understanding the Global Plastics Treaty

KEY TAKEAWAYS The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) of the UNEP is developing a binding international framework for managing plastic waste. Significant progress has been made at the 5th meeting of the INC with proposals of a plastics production cap, clearing existing plastics, technology transfer and financing the provision of the proposal. Several challenges may hamper the success of the treaty when eventually ratified including conflict with business interests, political and policy priorities of member countries,